China said Wednesday that the defense facilities it has built on the disputed Kagitingan Reef in the West Philippine Sea are not directed at any country. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Lu Kang made this comment in reaction to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana’s statement that the Philippines would lodge a diplomatic protest if reports that China was militarizing the reclaimed Kagitingan Reef were true. “China’s peaceful construction on its territory aims to make greater contributions to regional peace, navigation safety, disaster prevention and relief, maritime search and rescue and maritime scientific research,” Lu said in a regular press briefing in Beijing Tuesday.

Island defense buildup targets no one-China. (2018, January 11). Manila Standard, pp. A1, A2.